Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Will RTÉ's representatives come back to me with a written response to the question of GAA funding and how much money comes from it? It is a specific technical area in which I am interested.

I wish to make a general political point. I asked the Taoiseach last week or the week before about promised legislation on the funding of broadcasting in Ireland. He said Ms Forbes, the chairperson of RTÉ or other representatives had been in to meet him and, I presume, the Minister. I note that a steering group was set up to look at the licensing issue. Another working or steering group is looking at the European Broadcasting Union's report and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland's report. Does RTÉ have any sense from the Government as to when there will be a resolution of the question of the future funding mechanism, especially with reference to the licence fee? Does RTÉ have any timeline for when the steering group will report on our report, the BAI's report and the EBU's report? Almost everyone knows that the current system is not sustainable for a range of reasons. It is not even sustainable politically to allow a 14% underpayment of any tax. That undermines public confidence in the public funding system. When are we going to address that issue? Did RTÉ's representatives get any sense at the meeting with the Taoiseach as to when it would be resolved or when the steering group would report?